RAPE FUGITIVE

CONGESTION DODGE

Labour lost control of Glasgow for the first time in 40 years as the Tories surged in local elections in Scotland

The Tory surge stopped the SNP gaining overall control of Glasgow - Scotland’s biggest local authority - as well as returning councillors in the Highlands, North Lanarkshire and Midlothian where they had no seats.

It was the Scots Tories’ best result against Labour since 1974, seeing them double their 2012 vote.

Labour lost a jaw-dropping 133 seats while the SNP were down 7 – mainly down to boundary changes in many councils north of the border(don’t cut please as they’ll complain).

Last night a jubilant Ruth Davidson pledged only her party could “lead Scotland’s fightback” against the SNP.

Promising to stand up for all Scots who fear a second divisive independence referendum, she declared only the Tories had the might to fight the SNP.

What are the parties saying today?

Ukip's Lisa Duffy: "We are still relevant... I won’t use the word disaster, I use the word challenging.”

Labour’s Barry Gardiner:"Disappointing night in Bridgend... Most of the problems have come from splits in the Labour Party itself."

Conservatives' Brandon Lewis: "The results so far are encouraging but we cannot assume what happens in local elections will be replicated in the general election."

Lib Dems' Baroness Sal Brinton:"[Our vote has been] Patchy in places... but our share of the vote is up."

She said: “We denied the SNP a majority at Holyrood last year. Now we have gained seats in councils all over Scotland.

“This result makes one thing crystal clear: all across Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives have the strength to fight back against the SNP.

“We will speak up for the millions of Scots who have had enough of the uncertainty and division of the last few years. We will stand up for everyone who doesn’t want a second referendum on independence.

“We will demand that politicians of all parties focus instead on the things that matter: restoring excellence to Scotland’s schools, and getting our economy back to health.”

The Tory revival came as a severe blow to the SNP whose performance fell well short of party expectations.

Leader Nicola Sturgeon put on a brave face, hailing the election result a “fantastic” success – despite losing outright control of Dundee and next door authority Angus.

After failing to win a majority in Glasgow and Edinburgh the SNP will now try to build alliances with the Greens.

Yesterday Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale described the day as “disappointing” after her party lost its grip on 18 councils, being booted out of Aberdeen, West Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh and South Lanarkshire.

Pollsters now predict the SNP is in a battle to the death to hold onto the 56 Westminster seats it won in 2015.

But Ms Davidson insisted the party had to “continue to work hard and take nothing for granted” ahead of the June 8 vote.